(BlackDoctor.org) --Wanting to lose a few pounds in a hurry? The magic word is half. These ½ Rules will get you on your way to dropping weight in a hurry.

1. Eat Half Your Plate
In today’s super-sized society, controlling your portions can be the key to losing weight. Some restaurants will serve half the daily recommended calories in one serving. That means you may be eating 1000 calories in a single sitting!

For example, a bagel from your favorite bakery or restaurant can have anywhere from 300 to 400 calories. Add cream cheese and you’re eating nearly 600 calories for breakfast! Instead, eat half the bagel. You can save the other half for later or even for the next day’s breakfast.

Even when you’re at home, make sure you are controlling your portion sizes. Most food products have their nutrition information printed on the back of the package. Make sure you know what they consider to be a portion size and how many calories it has.

2. Half Veggies
Vegetables are full of proteins, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, calcium and other good stuff. But what they are not full of is calories.

When you sit down to meals, make sure that at least half your plate is vegetables. Preferably the green leafy kind. Think plain old broccoli is boring? To keep things interesting, switch up your side dishes. Brightly colored veggies like tomatoes, carrots and spring peas will excite your eyes as well as you stomach.

3. Exercise for at Least Half an Hour
Any weight loss plan should include some form of exercise. Aerobic exercises like jogging or playing basketball raises the heart rate and helps burn calories quickly. Taking time during your lunch to go for a walk or to hit the gym will bring fast, lasting results. 

If you don’t think you have time to fit exercise into your schedule, don’t be discouraged! You can get exercise in places you never thought of. For example, your kitchen. Doing a half hour a vigorous housework can burn lots of calories.

Chores like mopping the floor, or scrubbing the bathtub can help you work off your love handles, while stretching to put away the dishes, or vacuuming can work the arms. Though these exercises are lower impact, they still help burn calories, stretch and tone muscles, and relieve stress.

BDO (www.BlackDoctor.org) is the World’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans.

By Nicole Smith, BDO Staff Writer